EDITORIAL: Trump and Texas coming to rescue Nevada drivers

Las Vegas Review‑Journal – August 13, 2026 – 9:00 pm Nevada drivers weary of steep gasoline prices may find relief from a White House push to reactivate dormant refineries and a Texas‑backed pipeline that would bring additional fuel to the region. The administration is urging private investors to reopen two shuttered California refineries, Politico reports. Phillips 66 halted operations at its Los Angeles‑area facility last year, and Valero shut down its Benicia plant this year. If the effort succeeds, the revived plants could ease price pressures for Nevada motorists, who routinely face some of the nation’s highest state fuel costs. Approximately 88 percent of Nevada’s gasoline supply originates in California. The high prices stem from Nevada’s dependence on California, whose refining capacity has fallen sharply. In 2017 the state processed about two million barrels a day; today output is below 1.5 million barrels. This decline follows years of regulatory measures aimed at curbing fossil‑fuel use. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a 2022 directive mandating carbon neutrality by 2045, a move he framed as climate leadership. “California took on Big Oil and won,” Gov. Newsom bragged at the time. Critics argue the same regulations have driven refineries out of the state, contributing to the supply crunch. Newsom has recently complained about elevated gas prices, blaming external factors, while the Trump administration continues to advocate for restarting the idle facilities. The president previously aided drivers in both states by suspending the Jones Act. Texas is also stepping in. The Wall Street Journal reported that Phillips 66 is constructing a 900‑mile pipeline to move crude from Texas to Arizona. The Western Gateway Pipeline would carry 230,000 barrels of gasoline and other petroleum products each day. In Phoenix, the $5 billion project would connect to an existing line feeding Southern